Abstract
In this essay, I argue that Antigone talks about the transgression of the edict and about her death as an issue within the politics of Thebes. As Antigone’s appropriation of key-words such as φίλος, έχθρός, φιλία, δίκη, ἄρχεΐν and νόμος shows, the heroine displays a political understanding of her own acts in several passages of the play (Ant. 7-10, 26-36, 86-87 and 93-94 in Antigone’s first verbal exchange with Ismene; Ant. 508-509 and 523 in the stichomythia between Creon and Antigone; Ant. 806-816, 842-849 and 937-943 in Antigone’s farewell speeches; Ant. 902-907 in Antigone’s defence speech). In my reading, Antigone’s political representation of her deeds is deeply rooted in her view of death as a free choice.
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